As Much As Possible With As Little As Possible
"The special operation is not defined by size... What prevails is the 'Commando idea,' as Churchill called it - of guile unified with fortitude and imagination" (Leebaert, To Dare & To Conquer p. 22).
Every move we make and every change we pursue in building the community of believers (called a local church) is in pursuit of God's leading and God's Spiritual power. That's what I believe. I am very interested in reading and thinking about "new" ways of doing church, but I am not interested in building the next cool church or having the funniest little video clips or the hottest worship sound on the scene. Are lives being changed?
I've been looking into what causes a church community to get off track. Many churches I know get formed with the idea of pursuing God's Spirit but then shift focus to maintaining the organization. What happens? Looking again at this fantastic book that brings me so much inspiration, To Dare & To Conquer, I think that churches get caught in a trap of having to pay the bills and keep the "staff" afloat. It's very difficult to stay on mission when you have to make payroll or you have to pay the mortgage. So many churches that I have had the opportunity to work with or witness up close clutter themselves with so much unnecessary fluff that it's no wonder they cease to be effective at reaching people. What does it really take to have a church? When planning a military special operation, there is immense pressure to drill down to the essential. They can do this because the overwhelming attitude within that culture is the dogged pursuit of effectiveness and efficiency.
I would love to see what could happen if a group of believers formed around this same, "Commando idea." What do we really need to do what we need to do? And let everything else pass away.
What do you think we must have in order to have a church - I'm interested in your perspective.
Scott Bane
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Give you believers a place to hear God's Word, a place to socialize for a moment and encourage relationships outside of the Church! Don't lose focus on your vision, come back to it and read it again and again and don't allow "it" to become something else! Give good direction and always offer God to those who don't know Him. Allow mistakes in your church and don't "beat-up" on those who make mistakes! Offer the order of priorities, and live your life in front of them!! That is the best speaker of all, living life!
I guess it helps to have a building, but as you said, in a minimalist way. It doesn't have to be the biggest, the prettiest, or the best. Just have enough room to do what needs to be done. Teach, train, and encourage, and then get out of there to take what you've learned to others.
Sometimes I wonder if it wouldn't be better to be like the underground churches. They are growing in incredible ways. I'm sure a lot has to do with the fact that they experience persecution like we in American churches can't even imagine. I think having a lot of little groups that come all together occassionally would foster more individual growth. I know it did for me. Isn't that how it worked in the early church? I'm asking because I really don't know.
How ironic. I just tackled this for a recent paper for my Spiritual Powers and Missions class. The church is more than a building. It is more than a team. The church is people. Not a denomination. Not politics. We lose sight of that so quickly in our haste to define theology and boundaries for ourselves. In essence we have forgotten that if we throw out the measuring cup and pour everything we have into our ministry, no matter how small and insignificant, it will be returned to us in ways we can never imagine.
Secondly in order to have a "church" all we need is to be relevant to today's culture. Instead of hoping and praying that the society will adapt to our beliefs, "the church" will have to adapt to the society. Mass media adapts so well to the current culture, why can't we? Why do so many christians believe the the modernist worldview is sufficient to reach the world in the here and now?
Third, and last, a church is a community that helps carry people through the valleys and rejoices with those on the mountain top and every piece along the spectrum. Having the best drama team and the best worship band is nice. It's desirable by anyone's standards. But standing still in the midst of all that is around us to simply lift another up ahead of ourselves, above our own personal gain, was the true intention of ministry and church.
"I was addicted but not to a drug. Religion was my crack." - Divine Nobodies. We can't let ourselves stumble into the rocky areas of religious ritual and having church simply to have church. WE need to gather together because we DESIRE to. We need to YEARN for those moments together and crave them when we cannot.
... hope that helped. :0)
Good points so far. One thing I'm not reading is the need for it to be an "evangelistic" place. I'm not reading anything about the work and mission of the disciple - only the fellowship and instruction of the disciple. Is this because we are so used to thinking of church in these terms, or is it because we really believe that the essential functions of church are more about "us" than about those who do not yet belong?
I'm really asking, not asserting in the form of a question. I go back and forth myself as to the purpose of a church service or meeting. Is it for Christians and if others wander in, so bet it? Or should church be a place that is intentionally designed to gather people who do not believe in Jesus? It's interesting stuff, to me anyway.
I think that if we are trained that it is an automatic to help others. My issues are that I help others more than I help myself. Does that make sense? Taking a step back and learning about what I need from God was huge and continues to be, I still want to do and help and give more to others than ever, but it is at a risk, if I don't have proper training!!
Outreaches are fabulous, just remember they don't have to "FIT" they just need to work at "some degree" everything is not going to be a 100% success, we need to be able to rejoice in the .01% success. Now that takes proper training, Look to God for success, it is not in the numbers!!
I wish I could write my thoughts better, do I make sense to you? Maybe I should write on paper and copy it!!! I know my thoughts and don't know if I am expressing them well! I hope this helps a little.
I do think the church meeting should be primarily a place where believers are equipped. If we are trained right, and truly followers of Christ, we can't help but take Him to others. From what I've read Jesus didn't drag people to temple to introduce them to His Father. He came to them. We should be a transparent window through which He can shine. If someone who has yet to believe and accept Him, walks into a church service, great! The church building and service should not seem like an exclusive club, but it's sad that most of the time it does. I guess that's my ideal. That's is what I want from the "church". Teach me to live justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God, and then send me out with blessings (and the trust) that I will share Him with my life.